There are films that entertain, there are films that make you think and then there are films that inspire! "Finding Happiness" is one of those rare films that inspires you to live a better life. Profiling the Ananda community in Northern California this film follows a fictional journalist as she travels to the Ananda community for an assignment. At first she is skeptical thinking it is all new age nonsense. As she meets members and experiences the community she grows to realize that maybe this community knows something that we in the "real world" do not mainly that true happiness is not derived from material things. Although this film did not make me want to move up to Northern California it did cause me to re-evaluate certain truths I believed.
Reviews
12 Reviews
JT: Reflections
(2013 Video)
JT is the man!
19 December 2013
I've always been about Justin Timberlake. From the moment I heard "No Strings Attached" I knew this was a performer and artist that was a cut above the rest! It was with this enthusiam that I checked out "JT: Reflections" and I must say I am happy I did. This documentary gives a lot of behind the scenes insight into how Justin became a superstar. Starting with his upbringing in Memphis the doc follows him as he climbs from a starry eyed kid to a superstar. Along the way we see an artist who is smart and not afraid to take risks. That is what is so cool about Justin everything he does he does well and he does it in his own unique way!
Lunch
(I) (2012)
Great stories from some legends of comedy
16 December 2013
"Lunch" is a documentary of a bunch of legendary comedy writers who have a weekly bi-weekly lunch at Factor's deli in Los Angeles. They meet talk about politic, talk about the past and give each other a hard time. In between the filmed footage of the lunch each member is interviewed and their back story is flushed out and their current situation is examined. This was my favorite part of the film. It was kinda sad watching these legends of comedy struggle to find traction in a modern world that has determined them to be over the hill. The great thing is these aren't the type to mope, they get up dust of the computer and continue to write. A must view for anyone who loves the classic comedies. I throughly enjoyed this film!
Great Film
13 December 2013
Our service men and women give so much to us. They go over sacrifice themselves then come back injured and oftentimes that includes the lose of a limb. I can not imagine how tough and painful that is to endure. In the movie "Comedy Warriors" we met 5 service men/women who use the power of laughter to overcome the injuries they suffered during the war. Later on they team up with several established comedians and they begin working on their material. They go back home and at the end they perform in Los Angeles and the best part is they do great, they are really funny even when they are not referencing the injuries. There are not many films that make you feel good about the world fortunately "Comedy Warriors" is an uplifting experience.
A hilarious take on South African Culture!
15 November 2013
I got to know a bunch of South Africans when I traveled abroad, and one thing I quickly discovered is that they have a very particular sense of humor. It took me a while to get used to it, but once I did I was often laughing uncontrollably as they talked about their country back home. With these fond memories in mind I decided to check out Nik Rabonowitz's special, and I found myself laughing throughout. Nik jumps from the World Cup, to politics, to Disneyland, to South Africa's burgeoning space program, all the time keeping his rapid fire delivery going. The audience laughs the entire time and I found myself laughing along throughout! A great stand up special and I can't wait for Nik to gain more of a following stateside!
Cage Fight
(2012)
The Underground World of Cage Fighting
14 November 2013
"Cage Fight" is about the underground world of cage fighting and the people who get caught up in it. The movie centers around rivals who choose fighters to compete, and the tactics (oftentimes dirty) they use to win. Within this world are the fighters, who are often undocumented workers, who get forced into these intense competitions. The central character of this movie, Guerrero, is one of these. He comes across the border in the trunk of a car looking for work, and looking for his family. The head boss Santoro sees that he can fight and forces Guerrero to fight for him in the upcoming Cage Fight. Will Guerrero fight? Will he leave and seek out his family? Will he survive? These are all questions that are set up by the plot in this entertaining MMA based film. I found myself hooked from start to finish and thoroughly entertained!
Sunset Strip
(2012)
What a ride!
6 November 2013
The Sunset Strip started out as a strip of land that connected Beverly Hills to the studios of Hollywood, but feel out of the jurisdiction of both. That pretty much sums up the history of this iconic strip of land. Whether it was the speakeasies of the 20s or the counter culture of 60s the sunset strip as always had an intriguing outlaw vibe that has attracted people from all over the world. "Sunset Strip" tells the story of the strip through interviews with the people who lived it. Anecdotes are shared and the viewer learns that the sunset strip has mirrored and also influenced society. As a music fan I found myself engrossed from start to finish. Maybe someday I'll buy a ticket and head to the strip, but until then this doc will keep my daydreams alive!
One Direction: Going Our Way
(2013)
A cool doc about a rising band
23 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This film details the rise of the band One Direction, specifically it tells the story from their premiere on the UK X-Factor, to their adept use of social media, and then there rise in the United States. Throughout music industry insiders are interviewed along with clips of the band. The coolest thing about this documentary is it really informs the viewer how One Direction is using social media not only to sell records, but also get closer to their fans. One cool thing a learned is that at concerts they will allow fans to hashtag questions during the show, and at some point during the concert band members will take a 15 minute break and answer questions. One question was "Where do you get your socks" this kind of off the cuff approach to fan interaction is reassuring and makes me want to root for this band!
Bad Behavior
(2013)
A Fun Monster in the House Style Horror Film!
22 October 2013
A babysitter and the children she is supposed to be protecting are huddled up in a bathroom together as they try to discover a way to survive the night. First they have to discover who is after them and why? That is the central conflict of "Bad Behavior" a monster in the house type film (Think Halloween, Alien) that features a babysitter Zoe, trying to survive the worst possible babysitting job. The tension starts early when we find out that this supposed white picket fence suburban family might, be hiding some dark secrets. Our fears become more prevalent as we meet the children and they seem like they want to tell Zoe something, but can't.... The tension increases further when Zoe's boyfriend Kansas comes over and this being a horror film we know things are going to go south quickly. Bad Behavior is a fun satisfying horror film that reveals more as it progresses. I don't want to give away too much, but the film keeps building to a satisfying twist, that left me surprised and wanting more.
Amy
(II) (2013)
A fun tale of possession
8 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a big fan of possession films so when I heard there was a film about an Amish girl being possessed I had to check it out. The premise is, a young girl Amy discovers that her village is fighting possession. Later on after befriending the mysterious outsider Chris she finds that she has become possessed as well. It is up to her to race against time and save her village before it is too late. I enjoyed watching Amy struggle with herself and her villagers disbelief. The young actress who plays her does a great job. Also there are some surprising twists. It turns out the possessor is her brother who was ousted for being gay. A topical and surprising twist.
Guido
(2011)
A fun movie
7 October 2013
This movie is fun. The best part about it is it's not afraid to be an action movie. It reminded me of the old 80s early 90s action films like "Comanndo" and "The Last Boy Scout" Modern action is so serious it was nice to watch a film that knew it was an action film and not some uber serious anti-hero nonsense. The plot involves an Iraqi hit man named Guido who gets conned into taking his dying Landlady out west. Further complicating matters is the fact that he needs to transport a dead body as well. Of course the mob goes after him, and he must kill them in the most outrageous ways imaginable. This is what I enjoyed most. Yes the premise is ridiculous, but it's ridiculous in the most entertaining way and for me that is what action movies are all about!
Pieces
(1982)
An entertaining horror classic!
7 October 2013
This is a fun horror film that takes you back to a time when horror was fun and over the top. The violence and premise is so over the top I'm astounded that people are offended. It's ridiculous, but that is the fun. The film follows a serial killer who is chopping up co-eds in the college town. A deal is struck to go under cover and yes the execution is as fun and ridiculous as it sounds! Throughout the film people are killed and the most absurd ways. I won't give any away, but I was shaking my head and disbelief and waiting the next absurd scenario. The film also has shaky dubbing and the acting and script so over the top it is impossible not to be entertained by this Grindhouse classic!
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